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USI Università della Svizzera italiana

USI Università della Svizzera italiana

USI Università della Svizzera italiana

Introduction

USI is a young and agile university that offers its students a quality education and an enhancing study experience. International faculty teach students with an interdisciplinary, engaging, and interactive approach, leaving room for practical application.

The quality of the study curricula is complemented by USI's small size, its cosmopolitan environment, and its informal and dynamic culture.

These elements make USI a hub of opportunity open to the world, where students can engage in direct dialogue with their professors and define their educational path, discover unexpected horizons, and embrace international careers.

Who we are

USI. Create freely,
act responsibly.

Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) is one of the 12 certified public universities in Switzerland and member of swissuniversities. It is organised in six faculties and is active in several study and research areas, among which: architecture, communication sciences, computational science, data science, economics, health studies, humanities, informatics, law, medicine and biomedicine.

USI is a young and lively university, a hub of opportunity open to the world where students are offered a quality interdisciplinary education in which they can be fully engaged and take centre stage, and where our researchers can count on having the space to freely pursue their initiative.

3'922 students and 1'008 professors and researchers, hailing from 114 countries, convene every day on the four campuses in Lugano, Mendrisio and Bellinzona. The relatively small size of the campuses encourages the free flow and open exchange of ideas. USI encourages faculty, students and researchers to develop their potential, and appreciates their curiosity and willingness to experiment with new ways of thinking, learning, teaching and working.

Established in 1996, USI is in constant evolution, always taking on new challenges while remaining true to its three guiding principles: quality, openness and responsibility.

Why USI

Seven reasons for choosing USI:

  • Quality of the Swiss university system

  • International faculty

  • Leading interdisciplinary education

  • Teacher/student ratio 1 to 7

  • Strong ties with the business world

  • Flexible structure, open to the exchange of ideas

  • International, dynamic and welcoming environment

Mission

Based on the Law that regulates the Università della Svizzera italiana, USI mission consists of:

  • providing quality education
  • conducting internationally relevant scientific research;
  • contributing to the development of the region by enabling the transfer of knowledge, innovation, entrepreneurship and cultural and scientific debate in their areas of competence.

Vision

USI aspires to become the natural choice for those yearning to grow intellectually, humanly, and responsibly.

USI envisions to be a way for the future and strives to be known as:

  • An institution that believes in diversity
  • A hub for great talent
  • A partner of choice for knowledge transfer
  • A knowledge lab
  • A place where senses and aesthetics, in addition to logic and reason, are fostered
  • A model employer
  • A region-wide campus

Values

In pursuit of its mission, USI draws inspiration from three main values:

  • quality
  • openness
  • responsibility

Moreover, USI has made some specific commitments: to gender equality in the organisation of public events and to sustainable development.

Dies Academicus

The Dies academicus is the annual celebration of the University, a significant moment to share and learn about USI and its developments.

The Dies includes an official address by the Rector and speeches by guest speakers, both from within and beyond USI. It is also an opportunity to welcome at USI the Rectors from other universities, to award the Honorary Doctorate, to appoint Honorary Members of the University, and to assign the Credit Suisse Award for Best Teaching, which rewards the best teacher of one of the USI Faculties (in turns).

Next Dies academicus (27th): May 6, 2023.

Campus Features

Partnerships

USI works with a number of international, national, and regional entities in its education, research, and knowledge dissemination activities.

Research projects, study programs, doctoral programs, and mobility programs, in cooperation with universities and research centres in Switzerland and elsewhere, are coupled with applied studies, field projects carried out by students, other educational initiatives (such as internships), and events with institutions and businesses in Switzerland and abroad.

In the academic environment, the USI network is based on:

  • a series of framework agreements (particularly on education and mobility);
  • coordination of, or participation in, research platforms, such as PASC, the National Centres of Competence in Research (NCCR), and the Swiss Competence Centers for Energy Research;
  • and above all the scientific networks of individual researchers, who communicate and work together with colleagues from all over the world on projects and publications, and as part of associations and scientific symposia.

The Lugano campus is divided in West and East campus.

  • The West campus is home to the Lugano university library, lecture rooms, event theaters, cafeteria, study areas, offices for the academic staff as well as the Student Services. Surrounded by public gardens and just in walking distance to the city center and the lake, this location creates the perfect study environment.
  • The East campus (established in 2021) is located right across the river in 5 minutes walking distance from the West campus. Reserved for the Faculty of Informatics as well as the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences it is a hub of shared spaces, a multi-purpose hall, an exhibition space, a canteen, a crèche and sports areas.

The Campus of Mendrisio is allocated to the Academy of Architecture. The campus is located in various administrative, educational, research, study and service buildings in the centre of the small town of Mendrisio, most of them laid out around a very fine urban park.

This arrangement makes the school similar to certain prestigious university campuses that we find in small English cities or the United States.

The Academy’s location in a setting close to (yet outside) the metropolitan areas facilitates student life, while the young people have easy access to the nearby cities.

The best option for our students is to find a shared apartment (with other students or with locals) or a studio apartment for a bit more privacy: a series of links and suggestions are available at our Housing Service Facebook Page as well as by contacting directly our Housing Service.

Students who come to USI for an exchange Semester are invited to contact the Housing Service directly.

    Scholarships and Funding

    Dreaming about studying in Switzerland, but worried about the expenses?

    Please check out the university website and find out more about our scholarships.

    Rankings

    INTERNATIONAL RANKINGS

    USI in the Times Higher Education (THE) and Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings (QS), which are amongst the world's most popular and well-known global rankings - latest available data:

    • QS World University Rankings 2024
      328th worldwide
      (out of 1500 universities considered)
    • THE World University Rankings 2023
      Range 201-250
      (out of 1799 universities considered)
    • THE Young University Rankings 2023
      32nd worldwide
      among ‘young’ universities (less than 50 years old)
    • THE World's Best Small Universities 2022
      15th worldwide
      among small universities.
    • QS Top 50 Under 50 2021
      26th worldwide
      among ‘young’ universities (less than 50 years old)

    U-MULTIRANK 2022

    With 16 "A" in the indicators taken into consideration, USI ranks 3rd in the ranking of Swiss universities (Country Report Switzerland).

    RANKINGS BY SUBJECT AREA

    In addition to the global university rankings, USI has made significant progress in subject area rankings:

    • THE Subject Rankings
      with important results in particular in Computer Science, Clinical and Health, Economics.
    • QS World University Rankings by Subject
      with important results in particular in Computer Science & Information Systems, Economics & Econometrics, and Medicine.
    • Forschungsmonitoring
      with high scores in the rankings that measure the impact of research in Economics, especially when referring to the most prestigious academic journals of the field.

    Why study at Università della Svizzera italiana

    USI is a young and lively university, a hub of opportunity open to the world where students are offered a quality interdisciplinary education in which they can be fully engaged and take center stage.

    Seven reasons for choosing USI:

    • Quality of the Swiss university system
    • International faculty
    • Leading interdisciplinary education
    • Teacher/student ratio 1 to 9
    • Strong ties with the business world
    • Flexible structure, open to the exchange of ideas
    • International, dynamic and welcoming environment

    Awards & Accreditations

    Ranked 328th worldwide (out of 1500 universities)

    QS World University Rankings (2024)

    Ranked #201-250 (out of 1799 universities)

    THE World University Rankings (2023)

    Ranked 32nd worldwide among 'young' universities (less than 50 years old)

    THE Young University Rankings (2023)

    Ranked 15th worldwide among small universities

    THE World's Best Small Universities (2022)

    Ranked 26th worldwide among 'young' Universities (less than 50 years old)

    QS Top 50 Under 50 (2021)

    Campus Life & Facilities

    • Housing Service: looking for an accommodation can be stressful; through the Housing Service you will receive support in this process;
    • Careers and Alumni: always ready to suggestions on how to improve your curriculum and support your job research during and after your studies;
    • Sports Service: over 50 weekly courses and a Gym at complete disposal of all students;
    • International Relations and Mobility: planning a semester abroad is a good way to stand out with your study profile;
    • Library: the library offers various multimedia tools and a comprehensive collection of periodicals. It also provides photocopying services and individual spaces for studying with facilitated opening hours.

    Live your student life at 360°: if you need a break from your studies you have a wide range of possibilities. The Sport Services organizes each week over 50 indoor and outdoor activities, over 15 student associations allow you to actively participate to the student life as well as more then 120 public events organized directly by the Universities offer an interesting learning opportunity. If you want to improve your language skills during your studies weekly free language courses can help you give a nice extra on your study curriculum.

    Lugano is a beautiful city on the Lugano Lake surrounded by mountains. The best way to discover Lugano is by walking or through the public bike (with an attractive price for students). Lugano is the biggest city in the Italian Speaking region of Switzerland and offers a big variety of free time activities (sport, wellness, shopping and hikes), a wide range of cultural activities as well as several free events offered all year round.

    Locations

    • Lugano

      Università della Svizzera italiana via Buffi 13, CH-6900, Lugano

    • Mendrisio

      Largo Bernasconi 2, 6850, Mendrisio

      Questions